CMS Creates Procedure Code for Computer Aided Neuraxial Guidance

RIVANNA said in a press release that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services established ICD-10-PCS code XEZU3HC, effective for inpatient discharges beginning October 1, 2026. The code covers computer aided navigation in the spinal canal using ultrasound imaging and continuous needle tracking through a percutaneous approach during neuraxial anesthesia.

The code provides a standard way for hospitals to identify use of this procedure in inpatient data. It applies to a procedural category rather than a particular company or product, and does not establish separate payment or demonstrate clinical benefit.

RIVANNA plans to include the code in its outcomes framework in the fourth quarter of 2026 when participating facilities assign it. The company's Accuro 3S system has FDA clearance and uses AI for anatomical guidance, along with a probe containing a needle access aperture and software for tracking the needle tip in real time.